Sin Bin

by Maureen Smith

  She gestured to his scruffy face. “So what’s up with that?”

  He blinked at her. “What?”

  “The beard.” She wrinkled her nose. “I realize you hockey players have your stupid traditions, but must you go around looking like some deranged lumberjack? If you want a shot at getting out of the sin bin—”

  He scowled. “I’m not cutting my playoff beard. That’s a big fucking no-no.”

  She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Then could you at least get it trimmed? Not every woman is into beards, especially when they grow long enough to have woodland creatures dwelling in them.”

  Logan grunted, scratching his beard. It had gotten a tad unruly. But she was totally exaggerating about the length.

  She grinned wryly. “Meadow has a big heart. If she decides to take you back, you don’t want her to do it out of pity just because you look like some poor hobo.”

  “You’re not talking to her. I forbid it.” He turned away, running a hand down his beard. “I’ll see what I can do about getting a trim.”

  Cynara let out a knowing laugh.

  He hung his head. God, he was pathetic.

  “Just promise me you won’t talk to her until I say you can,” he grumbled.

  Cynara gave him a look of amused indulgence. “When have I ever taken orders from you?”

  He scowled at her.

  “Seriously though, Logan.” She cupped his cheek, her eyes boring into his. “You know I don’t believe in happily-ever-afters. But if anyone deserves a fairy-tale ending, it’s definitely you and Meadow.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  MEADOW

  * * *

  “I wish you were going to the games with us, Meadow,” Bianca lamented over lunch with the girls later that afternoon. “I mean, obviously, I know why you’re not going. But I wish…well, I wish things were different.”

  “So do I,” Meadow mumbled, picking at her avocado salad and trying not to think about Logan’s surprise ambush that morning.

  Over the past two and a half days, she’d cried herself dry and now felt like an empty husk with nothing inside. She was mentally exhausted, emotionally battered. Completely wrung out.

  “It’s okay that you’re not going back to Vegas with the girls.” Jess draped an arm around Meadow’s shoulders. “I’m not going either, so you and I can hang out.”

  “I don’t think so,” Scarlett interjected with a snort. “The last time you and Meadow hung out together, Logan went berserker at some club, broke a dude’s nose and got suspended for one game. Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the carnage, and I’ve watched the viral video more times than I’ll ever admit. But Logan’s suspension was hella costly to the team, and we really can’t afford to lose him again. Seriously, y’all. We’re so close to winning the Cup I can taste it.” She turned beseechingly to Meadow. “I would never ask you to take Logan back just for the sake of the team. That would be horribly selfish and insensitive, and I’m not that kind of girl. But as a lifelong Rebels fan, I implore you not to do anything to mess with his headspace. Like, don’t tell reporters you hope his dick gets frostbite during the game. Don’t show up anywhere with another guy. And for the love of God, please stay away from clubs!”

  Jess huffed indignantly. “Meadow is a grown woman. You can’t tell her what to—”

  “Listen, bitch,” Scarlett snarled, jabbing her fork at Jess. “If you take her anywhere near a fucking club, I will hack you up into pieces, drive to the nearest ocean and feed you to the sharks.”

  Jess actually gulped.

  “Damn, Scar,” Bianca joked. “Forget marrying a Viking descendant. You must have been one in a past life!”

  Laughter erupted around the table.

  Meadow shook her head wryly at Scarlett. “Don’t worry, Vikingess. I have no interest in clubbing. That’s the last thing on my mind right now.”

  Everyone gave her a sympathetic look.

  Jess sipped her vodka cranberry. “So how long will Logan be in the doghouse? I mean, this is only temporary, right? To teach him a lesson about avoiding compromising situations?”

  Meadow frowned at her. “This isn’t about me putting him in timeout for bad behavior. It’s about me being able to trust him. I thought you understood that.”

  “I do,” Jess insisted. “Trust me, I’m not excusing what he did. I mean, I’m the same chick who was ready to cut off my boyfriend’s balls for going to a party behind my back. You of all people know how furious I was when I saw that picture of him with those hobags. There would have been bloodshed if I’d actually walked in on him with some skank on his lap. Both of them woulda gotten their asses kicked!”

  Nadia frowned at Jess. “It’s easy to say what you would have done in the same situation. But the truth is, you don’t know how you would have reacted if you were in Meadow’s shoes, seeing what she saw. It must have been a horrible shock, the kind that paralyzes you before other emotions kick in.” She looked around the table. “You guys remember how devastated I was when that gossip blog published a photo of that Canadian woman sitting on Reid’s lap. I was heartbroken and humiliated, and I definitely jumped to the worst conclusion. I broke up with him over a picture. Just imagine how much worse I would have felt if I’d seen them together in person.”

  Grim murmurs went around the table.

  Scarlett sighed. “If it’s any consolation, Meadow, Viggo says Logan has been a changed man ever since you came back into his life. He doesn’t go out clubbing when they’re on the road, not even in Miami. Their first night in Winnipeg, they were having drinks at the hotel bar when a couple of puck bunnies hit on them. Logan totally rejected the bunny who tried to sit on his lap. He told her he was in a serious relationship—”

  “Is this the same night he went to that party?” Meadow challenged.

  Scarlett shut up.

  Nadia and Bianca stared down at their plates.

  Jess noisily slurped her drink. “Like I said before, Logan doesn’t get a pass for letting his stepmother kiss him, even for just a few seconds. That was a dick move. But at least he copped to it. Most guys wouldn’t have. And it’s not his fault the horny bitch tried to fuck him. That’s on her, not him. And something tells me if you and his father had arrived ten seconds later than you did, you would have seen Logan shoving her off him.”

  The others nodded in agreement.

  Meadow glared at them. “Traitors.”

  They laughed sheepishly.

  She scowled and stabbed her fork into her salad.

  Jess grinned around the table. “I wonder what’s gonna happen between Logan’s father and stepmother? I mean, the man caught his wife trying to seduce his son. It would totally serve her right if he sent her packing!”

  “I know, right?” the others agreed.

  Bianca snickered. “What if there’s a fidelity clause in their prenup? If he divorced her, she’d get nothing.”

  The others cackled, relishing the possibility.

  “I didn’t see her the morning after the party,” Meadow said sardonically. “When Lucien escorted me off the yacht, he apologized for his wife’s appalling behavior. He couldn’t quite hide his embarrassment and disgust, so I figured she was still in hot water.”

  “Or cold water,” Jess joked. “He probably tossed that ho overboard!”

  Laughter swept around the table. Meadow just shook her head.

  Jess waved her fork at her. “At the risk of sounding like my mother, you’d be hella crazy to walk away from a man who’s worth that much moolah. I mean, Logan was already hella rich on his own. And now he’s an heir to billions? Girl, you better stop playing and secure the bag!”

  Meadow frowned at her. “Didn’t you say you don’t care about that stuff anymore?”

  “Yeah, and where’d that get me? Dumped, that’s where.” Jess’s mouth tightened into a bitter smile. “If I’m gonna be called a gold digger, I might as well embrace it and go for mine.”

  The others shared a glance. Dubin
ski had officially broken up with Jess last week. She was pretending to be over it. No one believed her, but she’d resisted their attempts to comfort her.

  Nadia reached across the table and squeezed Meadow’s hand. “I know you’re in a lot of pain right now. I’ve been where you are, and I know how heartbreaking it is to think you’ve been betrayed by the man you love. We all have our opinions, but at the end of the day, no one can tell you how to feel or what you should do. You have to listen to your heart and make the right choice for you and nobody else. Whatever you decide to do about Logan, just know we’re here for you.”

  “Absolutely,” the others concurred. “We got your back.”

  Meadow’s throat tightened with gratitude. “Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate your support.”

  They blew her kisses and took turns squeezing her hand.

  Jess sighed. “My takeaway from all this? The boys should stay out of Canada. Seriously. Bad things happen when they go there. Instead of ‘O Canada,’ it should be ‘Nooo, Canada!’”

  Everyone burst into laughter. Even Meadow had to smile.

  Some girls used shopping as a cure for heartbreak.

  Others drowned their pain in ice cream and margaritas.

  Meadow lost herself in the stars.

  Astronomy had always been her passion and refuge. The mysteries of the universe were an endless source of fascination for her. They never disappointed her, never betrayed her trust or broke her heart.

  On Saturday night, she packed her telescope and headed to the local observatory for a star party in the park. She hadn’t been back there since the night of the astronomical society’s cocktail reception.

  As she drove, she was swamped by memories of Logan. She remembered his jealousy over Ephraim, his boorish possessiveness. She remembered their heated argument in the car and the explosive sexual encounter that had followed.

  By the time she reached the observatory, the weight of her sorrow hit her like a meteor slamming into Earth. She barely managed to park her car before she burst into tears.

  She was hunched over the steering wheel sobbing her eyes out when she heard a knock on her window.

  Startled, she lifted her head and looked outside. She almost died of mortification when she saw Ephraim standing there.

  She quickly swiped at her eyes and fumbled to put her new glasses back on, then buzzed down the window.

  “Hey, Meadow.” Ephraim’s concerned eyes searched her tear-streaked face. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded vigorously, even though she was clearly not okay.

  He looked inside her car. “Flying solo tonight?”

  She swallowed hard and nodded. She hadn’t found her voice yet.

  “Well, it’s good to see you again.” Ephraim smiled and glanced over his shoulder. “Looks like the star party will be starting soon. Are you coming?”

  She looked toward the small crowd gathered in the park. The prospect of socializing suddenly felt like a daunting chore.

  “I’m guessing you’re not in the mood anymore,” Ephraim said astutely.

  “Not really,” she admitted ruefully.

  He pushed his glasses up his nose. “Have you had dinner yet? There’s a restaurant I’ve been wanting to try, if you’d like to join me?”

  She bit her lip. “Um, I don’t think—”

  “I have no expectations,” he assured her. “I’m just looking for a good meal and good conversation. Nothing more.”

  She stared up at him, considering his offer. She didn’t want to lead him on, but he seemed like a nice guy and she appreciated his intelligence. Maybe talking astronomy with him would help take her mind off her troubles for a while. Maybe they could even be friends.

  “No pressure,” he reiterated.

  After another hesitation, she acquiesced with a small nod.

  “Great!” He grinned. “I can drive—”

  “Um, I’d rather follow you.”

  He looked a little disappointed, but he smiled and nodded. “I’m parked right over there. I’ll pull around.”

  “Okay.” She watched as he strutted to a white BMW and climbed behind the wheel.

  She followed him out of the parking lot and onto the highway, driving like an automaton. She didn’t pay attention to where they were going until they’d almost reached their destination. When she realized he was taking her to Logan’s favorite Cuban restaurant, her stomach twisted in a painful knot. The universe was determined to torture her tonight.

  As she steered into the parking lot, she saw that the popular little restaurant was doing its usual brisk business. After circling the lot twice, she pulled into the first spot she could find.

  As she climbed out of her car, Ephraim pulled up behind her, buzzed down his window and called out, “Why don’t you go inside and grab us a table? I’ll keep driving around.”

  She pointed across the busy lot. “I saw a couple empty spots over there.”

  “Too tight,” he called back. “I don’t want some knucklehead scratching the paint on my Beemer. Go ahead. I’ll join you shortly.”

  She nodded and headed inside. The restaurant was crowded, just about every table full.

  She looked around and then froze, her heart lurching into her throat.

  Logan stood at the takeout counter picking up an order. The moment she spotted him, she wanted to turn and run back out the door.

  Before she could move, he turned from the counter with his food.

  Her breath jammed in her lungs.

  He saw her and froze in his tracks.

  As they stared at each other, the hum of other voices receded, replaced by the mad drumming of her heart.

  His black hair seemed longer. His playoff beard was thicker and fuller, but immaculately trimmed to accentuate his square jaw. She hated that he was just as panty-droppingly sexy as ever. If there was any justice in the world, boyfriends would morph into one-eyed gargoyles as soon as you were done with them.

  What made it even worse was that she, in contrast, looked like crap. Her hair was thrown up in a messy ponytail and she had bags under her eyes that her glasses couldn’t hide. The stress of the past week had obviously taken more of a toll on her than him.

  As if drawn together by an invisible thread, they slowly walked up to each other and stopped. Hurt vibrated between them. Hurt and sadness.

  He spoke first. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” She swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off all the emotions whipping through her.

  “How are you?” he asked quietly.

  “I’m good.” Liar. “You?”

  “I’m...good.”

  She nodded slowly. “Good.”

  They stared at each other. Her heart was thumping so hard it was difficult to think.

  In her peripheral vision, she could see a group of girls whispering and giggling as they stared adoringly at Logan.

  She tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. “Um, congratulations on winning the game yesterday.”

  He made a wry face. “We lost the first one.”

  “I know. But you regrouped and came back strong.”

  “You’ve been watching?”

  She couldn’t bring herself to tell him that she hadn’t watched the games because seeing him was too painful. Fortunately she was spared from answering when a rowdy fan called out to him in Spanish.

  He turned his head to respond in kind, flashing a brief smile before returning his attention to Meadow.

  She nervously stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Well, um, I should go grab a table.”

  Something like pain flashed across his face. “Are you here with someone?”

  She swallowed uncomfortably. Before she could make herself respond, she heard the restaurant door open behind her.

  Logan looked over her head, his eyes growing shuttered and his face hardening. His reaction told her who had walked through the door even before Ephraim came up beside her, standing possessively close.

 
“Hey, Logan,” he said cheerfully. “How’s it going?”

  Logan inclined his head. “It’s going.”

  “It’s going rather well, from what I hear,” Ephraim said. “I don’t follow hockey, but it’s impossible to escape all the buzz in this town. I hear you guys are roaring your way through the playoffs. Congratulations.”

  “Congratulations to you,” Logan murmured.

  Ephraim raised an eyebrow. “On what?”

  Logan’s eyes shifted to Meadow and lingered. “Congratulations on getting the girl.”

  Her heart squeezed painfully.

  Ephraim looked surprised, then pleased. It was as if he’d been waiting all his life to hear those words.

  Meadow shook her head at Logan. “It’s not—”

  “Enjoy your dinner. I recommend the rabo encendido.” With a cool nod, Logan brushed past them and walked out the door.

  Meadow watched him go, her heart in her throat. It wasn’t lost on her that oxtail stew was his least favorite dish on the menu.

  “Well. That was interesting.” Ephraim had a smug grin on his face. “Am I to assume things didn’t work out between you and Brassard?”

  Her spine stiffened. “That would be correct.”

  His eyes flashed with triumph. “I hate to say I told—”

  “Would you excuse me a minute?” She turned and hurried outside in time to see Logan’s truck backing out of a parking space.

  Her heart plummeted when she saw that he wasn’t alone. There was a woman sitting beside him in the front seat. She was wearing a Rebels baseball cap pulled low over her face, partially obscuring her features. She sat with her knee pulled up to her chest, a relaxed pose that suggested a comfortable familiarity between her and Logan.

  It was too dark to make out much more than that. But Meadow had seen enough.

  Barely a week after they broke up, Logan had already moved on. It was a crushing realization. Devastating.

  As she stood there staring after his truck, hot tears burned her eyes. All she wanted to do was go home, crawl into bed and curl into a fetal ball. But it wouldn’t be fair to ditch Ephraim after he’d changed his plans to have dinner with her.